Moistureproof container



N. l. PAULSEN 2,658,662

MOISTUREPROOF CONTAINER iginal Filed Nov. 25, 1945 4 Sheetg-Sheet l Nov.10, 1953 Nov. l0, 1953 N. l. PAULSEN MOISTUREPROOF CONTAINER 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 25, 1945 w a fpm w 9 )w e /va 9 M /VJ,by 5 7. im.

-fnvfnor .BY/)NEAL I. PAULSEN www@ fornel Nov. 10, 1953 N. l. PAULsr-:N

MOISTUREPROOF CONTAINER Original Filed Nov. 23, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 3fnvfnor l NEAL I. PAuLsEN -Y/W/ A zorneu l. PAULSEN Nov. 10, 1953 N.

MosTUREPRooF CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Nov. 23, 1945 Nmw P mm w Patented Nov. 10, 1953 MOISTUREPROOF CONTAINER Neal I.Paulsen, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company,Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Original application November23, 1945, Serial No. 630,224. Divided and this application August 6,1947, Serial No. 766,561

Claims.

My invention relates to a moisture-proof container, having aninside-and-outside covering of moisture-impervious material, and inwhich heat sealing means is employed between the layers of such materialfor completely sealing the goods therein.

One form of moisture impervious material is metal foil, and heretoforeit has been the practice to use very thin metal foil, such as tin foiland aluminum foil in the formation of containers for various products,specifically food products, but generally this has been done byemploying a single layer over one set of surfaces of the container,specifically to cover the outer walls of cardboard containers with suchmetal foil, in which the cardboard forms the body of the container andgives it its rigidity and strength.

Food products requiring protection are cereal foods, milk powder, eggpowder and the like. Such products rapidly deteriorate from absorptionof moisture. It is customary and desirable to put cereal foods incontainers adapted to hold a serving for one person, In this practice,such contents of the containers may be retained there for extendedperiods of time, up to several months or even a year or more, beforethey are eaten. When moisture has been absorbed to any substantialdegree, the quality and good eating characteristics of these cerealfoods are seriously deteriorated, often to a point where they cannot beeaten at all.

A container having one of its surfaces covered by a single layer of foilis not completely effective for several reasons. Among these are, thefoil is made in very thin gauges for container purposes and invariablyhas pin holes through the body of the foil. This lets' infiltration ofmoisture-containing air into the container and unfavorably affects itscontents. Again, with this type of container, the joints of the metalfoil along the sides and particularly at the ends of the container, evenwhere heat sealing is ernployed, frequently are not tight and allowleakage of moisture-carrying air to the interior of the container. y

In this former practice, the metalfoil itself does not permit passageofl moisture. The openings through it and aboutv its joints,particularly those formed in the end closure after filling thecontainer, however, let moisture-containing air contact the non-foilparts of the body of the container and in turn contact and be absorbedby the food contents of `the container.

I have discovered that a container having thin moisture-imperviousmaterial, such as metal foil,

applied to its outside and inside surfaces and heat-sealed togetherthrough the medium of an intervening layer or layers of wax-carryingmaterials, eliminates passage of moisture-containing air through pinholes in the metal foil or other material.

Further, that this material may be so folded in relation to theheat-sealing material that there can be sealing of all joints withdouble layers of sealed moisture-impervious material such that not onlywill the leak openings which permit moisture-carrying air to filterthrough to the contents of the container be effectively closed, but suchan arrangement also provides walls of the container having suicientstiliness and strength to form this container employing no otherstifiening means than the metal foil and its heat-sealing backing ofheat-sealing material.

Also, I have discovered that this material can be placed in the form ofa thickness of waximpregnated paper with the foil applied directlythereto and held thereby, the two layers of such wax-impregnated paperacting as a iiller and stifener between the two layers of foil or othermoisture-impervious material, such as specially prepared paper, plasticsheets and the like. These two layers, after heat is applied, at thesame time are caused to adhere to each other and to seal the two sheetsof foil together so as to form integrated and laminated walls of thecontainer of suicient stiness and strength to need no other reinforcing.Or a separate thickness of wax-impregnated paper may have the foilapplied directly to it and the foil be caused by heatsealing to adhereto said central body of sealing material. In either case, I have found away of folding the layers of end material, after the openended containeris lled, in connection with heatsealing material which entirelyeliminates joint leakage,

It is a principal object of my invention to provide a container havingal1 the outsides and insides of all its walls formed ofmoisture-impervious material such as metal foil, the layers of suchmetal foil being heat-sealed together.

It is a further object of my invention to have the container formed withthe outsides and insides of all its wall wholly covered by layers ofmetal foil or other similar pliable material and with a body ofheatesealing material between said layers of metal foil acting to sealthe layers forming said walls to produce integral wall f portions of thecontainer.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a container formedwith outer and inner 3 layers of moisture-impervious material such asmetal foil upon the inside and outside surfaces of the container, and,by using a heat-sealing material between the layers ofmoisture-impervious material and heat-sealing the layers thereofthereto, to produce a container having wall structures which haverigidity rand ystrength sufcient to coirrprise the entire substance l,ofthe container walls and of the container, without the use of otherreinforcing or stiffening material.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a container whereinthe respective .wallllaye ers of foil are offset one from the other andheatsealing material extends as a facing over those parts of foil layerswhich do notv face corresponding parts of other foil layers and in whichthere are folded ends to theV .container having the parts thereofheat-sealed against foil over the entire areas of each said end of thecontainer.

It is a further object of my invention to produce an open-endedcontainer, prior to the filling thereof with the material going into andbeing protected Vby the container, wherein the layers ofmoisture-impervious material covering the inside and-outside'surfacesthereof have portions extending beyond the body part ofthe containerwhere the layers of such material have been heat `.sealed vtogethenandte provide means whereby in closing the open end of said container theseextended portions maybe heat-sealed together and a complete closfureformed which is free from any joint leakage.

This application is a division of my'application Ser. No. 630,224, ledNovember 23, 1945, now Patent No. `2,603,046 granted July 15, 1952.

The fullobjects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear inthe detailed description thereof given in the appended specification,and the novel features which produce the aforementionedadvantageous anduseful results will be particularly `pointed 'out in the claims.

While metal foil such as aluminum foil, ltin foil or the like, is asatisfactory material in the construction of my package for most uses,and in the following specification and claimsl'have, for convenience,usually referred tothe body material as lfoil or metal foil, 1 do notwish to limit myself to foil or Vmetal l*foil therein, as it is obviousthat any other material of a thin and flexible type, which is suitableto produce a heat-sealed, closed container iwithout other stiifeningmeans than thebody material and the heat-sealing applied thereto,l isavailable for the production of my container and is withinthe scopeof'my'invention.

Inthe drawings, illustrating an application of my invention in some ofits forms:

Fig. 1 illustrates a lperspective viewvof my container completelysealed.

Fig. 2 is a transversesectional elevation View taken on 1ine.2-.2 ofFig. 1, with sections of layers forming the container exaggerated insize to show their relations ane to another.

Fig. 3 is a sectional longitudinal view of the container taken online3-.3 of Fig. 1,with sections of layers'forming the container-exaggeratedin size to show V.their .relations one to another.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through-a part of one of Ytheside orendwalls of the container,v exaggerated as to size in order to show theparts, and giving one form of arrangement oftheparts in acontainerembodying H13/.invention Fig. 5 is likewise a'sectionalview of a ysidewall or end wall of the container which shows a differ:Y ent arrangementof layers of material 'from that Y4 shown in Fig. 4, on an exaggeratedscale to show the component parts thereof.

Fig. 6 shows the end of the ycontainer open to receive material.

Fig. 7 illustrates in plan View a side view of the container formed as arectangular tube with certain ,portionsturned downorremoved to show theform of sealing and runion of contacting portions of the two layers.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view illustrating the container tube in aheat-sealing form with the end .open and ftheupper extension of thematerial unfolded.-

Fig. 9is atop .plan view similar to Fig. 8 with the A,tabs extendedholding the parts in position for heat-sealing without other support.

Fig. 10 is a `sectional view across an end wall of the containeras shownin Fig. 2, with the combined layers of foil and heat-sealing material at`the inside of the container overlapping less than the full distanceacross the container.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view similar ,to Fig. 8 with the nal ysealing iiapYextended outwardly, .and triangular tabs folded in.

Fig. l2 is a part perspective view of the conf tainer after the bottomwall 'has been sealed and the two side and two end walls have beenheatsealed to the point of junction with ythe extended unsealedparts ofthe container, which will be the top of the `container when it is filledand the top end sealed.

Fig. 13 is a top vplan view of the open-ended container before fillingshown in Fig. 12 and with unfolded parts in Icontacting position.

Fig. 14 shows the partially folded arrangement with the inner and outertriangular tabs exposed to View.

Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional View taken on line i5-,l5 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 1,6 .is a top plan view of the container yas shown in Fig. 9 withthe clamping .members gripping the extended ends of the triangularfolds.

Fig. 17 .is a side elevation view ofthe container in theposition of Fig.15 with the-tab flaps turned out, the triangular tabs gripped by pullermembers and a heat block upon the top of contacting tab members forcompletely heat-sealing them.

Fig. 18 is a sectional -view taken on line I8-I8 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 19 is a top plan view showing the package as it has been completed.

The blank from which the container is formed comprises two sheets ofmaterial that are initially independent of each other with a heatsealable layer between lthe two sheets. In the disclosure of Fig. 4, theheat scalable layer is independent of the sheets, while in Fig. 5 theheat sealable layers, of which there are two, are united With one sideof each of the sheets. When the blank is formed the two sheets arelongitudinally offset with relation to each other so as to expose a heatscalable layer on the opposite side of-each end of the blank for formingthe jointsshown in Figf 6 and 7. The twosheets may be of the same sizein both dimensions to form a container of the type shown in Fig. 2, orthe inner sheet may be. somewhat narrower than the outer sheet to formacontainer of the type shownin Fig. l0. Before assembling the blank,the'sheet which is intended to form the outer covering has a pair ofoppositely disposed .naps formed in its lateral edges'between itsopposite ends. These naps, one of which is shown at ,59, form the finalsealingsurface on the top andbottom of the carton. vAfter the sheetshave been cut and the flaps formed by cutting the outer sheet to theshoulder line indicated at 52, 53 in Fig. 12, they are assembled in alongitudinally offset relationship with the heat scalable materialbetween the sheets and exposed on opposite sides of the blank at eachend, and the sheets are spot welded together to hold them in properrelationship to each other. Then, as will be explained hereinafter, theblank is folded on its longest dimension with the exposed heat sealablematerial at each end forming the lateral joints 56, 58 of Figs. 13, 15.The bottom end of the carton is also folded in the same manner as thetop. When this is accomplished, the four lateral sides, below the lines52, 53, and the folded bottom are heat sealed to each other. This firstheat sealing action accomplishes several things. Primarily it seals theeight surfaces forming the bottom closure with heat sealable materialbetween each of the eight layers of sheet material. Secondly, the heatsealable material flows into each fold of the sides and bottom closureand fills any breaks in the sheets which might have occurred as a resultof the folding operation. Finally it bonds the broad surfaces togetherfilling in any imperfections in the sheets, and in addition it laminatesthe surfaces thereby materially adding to their strength and giving thema noticeably stiffened characteristic.

The top or bottom end closure is formed by first outwardly folding theflap so as to have this part out of the way. Then the end edges arepulled outwardly as shown in Fig. 14, which action tends to bring theinner surface which was adjacent the flap over the center of the openend, and as this part is united to the latter edges, the latter takes onthe form of outwardly projecting ears. This part of the closure isfolded fiat over the open end of the container, leaving an upwardlyexposed heat scalable surface. The side opposite this portion, whichconstitutes parts of both the inner and outer sheets are then foldeddown in the direction of the flap. An intermediate heat sealingoperation occurs at this point to securely bond the surfaces. Thisaction causes a double folding of the ears of the inner sheet and thedisposition of a layer of heat sealable material between each majorlayer of sheet material. The positioning of the parts at this stage isshown in Figs. 16 and 18. Then the ears are inwardly folded to theposition of Fig. 1l. Finally, the flap is folded over the assembledfolded closure, and the flap is also heat sealed in place to completelybond the folds which it encloses.

Referring now to the drawings, the completed container with its contentsenclosed therein, comprises a rectangular package with its two sides,two ends and top and bottom walls all parallel. In the sectional viewsof Figs. 2-5 and other sections, the moisture-impervious material suchas metal foil, is shown by heavy black lines and the backing of thismoisture-impervious ma terial, Which latter, for convenience, will bereferred to as foil, it being understood that any othermoisture-impervious material used in the same manner is within the scopeof my invention, will be shown by ordinary block hatching. All of thesesectional Views of Figs. 2, 5, and 18 are very greatly exaggerated insize to show the' relation of the parts comprising the package.

The straight end views, such as Figs. 6, 8, 13 and 14, likewise show thefoil by heavy black lines and give exaggerated thickness views of theedges of the parts extended beyond the body of the package, again forshowing more clearly the relation of these parts.

The face views of metal foil, as in Figs. 1, 7, 13, 15 and 17 are shownstippled indicating metal foil exposed to the outside of the package oron parts which are exposed inside and elsewhere.

In Fig. 2, which illustrates a preferred form of my invention, thecontainer indicated generally by the arrow from the numeral I1, has theoutsides of its side Walls covered by layers of foil I8 and I9. Theoutsides of its end Walls are covered by layers of foil 20 and 2|, Whichare the outsides of the top and bottom walls.

It will be noted, as shown in Fig. 2, that layer of foil I3 is adheredto a heat-sealing carrying portion 2li, side layer of foil I9 is adheredto a heat-sealing carrying portion 25, that top layer of foil 2i isadhered to a heat-sealing carrying portion 23 and bottom layer 20 isadhered to a heat-sealing carrying portion 21.

The outside foil coverings 20 and 2I and the heat-sealing backings forit 26 and 21 are continuous across the top and bottom Walls of thepackage, with foil covering I9 and heat-sealing backing 25, and thisdouble layer terminates respectively at 28 and 29 on the opposite sideof the package.

Likewise, foil layer i8 continues in foil layer 39 across the top wall,and in foil layer 3l across the other end wall, while heat-sealingbacking 24 continues as heat-sealing backing 32 across bottom Wall andas heat-sealing backing 33 across the other end wall. These doublelayers terminate respectively at 34 and 35.

Referring further to Fig- 2, a precisely similar arrangement incross-sectional drawing across the center of the package is shown forthe inside f the package. Here a layer of foil 36 across one side Wallcontinues into layers of foil 31 and 38 across the top and bottom wallsrespectively.

The heat-sealing backing 39 for foil layer 36 likewise extends acrossthe top and bottom in heat-sealing backing layers IIJ and 4I terminatingat 5:2 and 43 respectively. Across the other side wall is a layer offoil 44, which extends into layers of foil 45 and 45 across the top andbottom. Likewise, the heat-sealing backing 41 for foil layer @itcontinues as heat-sealing backing layers 43 and 49, and the combinedfoil and heat-sealing backing layers 45, 48 and 46, 49 terminaterespectively at 50 and 5 I.

In the above arrangement, the respective cornbined layers 31, di) andd5, fit, across one end wall, and 38, 4I and 56, 49 across the other endWall extend the full distance across the respective end walls. Amodification illustrated in Fig. 10, shows these sets of double layersat the inside walls do not overlap the entire distance from side wall toside wall as in Fig. 2, but terminating at 53 and E I respectively withonly a small overlap as there indicated. This has an advantage in thesaving of material, important in making the containers in quantity at atolerable cost.

Having reference to Figs. l, 3, ll and 16, the very importantconstruction by which the ends of the container are sealed will now bedescribed. The showing of these ends on Fig. 3 is very greatlyexaggerated as to size. The actual appearance of the upper end of theclosed container is well shown in Fig. 19, in which the sealed end has asubstantially plane surface with only a slight depression Where the tabsare folded and are covered by a top flap.

There is no serious problem about heat-sealing l'the bottom cf thecontainer since a heating member. former maybe introduced Within thecontainer and heat-sealing effected' byipress'urevwith heat applieddirectly upon the-.bottoni wallrested upon .sonne .firm surface. 'justasfin a. sirnilar manner, tlietwo lsidewalls .and two*A end Walls of'the .container are'heat-seale'd .up'tofthegplane of Lthe -top .of thecontainer. before4 the 'top 'has been closed -and heat-sealed.

This A. results in the production .of a :container having whatY may be.celled 'its top Lend open Vto permit introduction `of `a peris'halo'le,pre duct Ainto the: bod-y .of Athe T.container Vlory lthe spaceV-bounded by the heatfseale'd'bottom, s'ideand-end Walls;V`

A problem of lprimary .great'limportance and dificlty, isfoundinheat-sealing.` this openend o'f the. containerafterzits-.bodyy,chambenhas been filled. v,The extreme difficulty of this problemcornes from'the 'fact'that obviously no-former or other'supp'ortingAmeans .can vbe introduced into the'insi'de of the lcorixtainera'fterit'islled, and

yetfthat thereinust be complete'heat-sealing vof thistop endwall, withno 'leaks through for admission of water-carrying air, in order that thev/hlef-purpose o'f my`invention and container, to

Having reference '.to"Figs."'1`2 `and13, there are.

extendedportion's ofthe side Walls and en'd .walls above theseV lines52- and I5?) which are Ystructurally siniilarin arrangement oflayers .towhat is shown'in'transverse-sections. at thee-ends of the containershownin Figf2fand'at vthe centralllongitudinal ien'd sections of whatis. shownv in-Fig. 3.

Refe1'x`ring`-rst to .the.sectional/.viewof Fig. 15,

it will be Vnoted 'Athatthe outer layer of v.combined foil '13 and I9-and heat-sealing Vbacking lv1 "4, ..25 exten'dsj'fromthe corner"554..of the .casing along sidel, endf`2'l, sidevfl8.iend'2, toanangleat55 whichisbelow the point of startingfl .where a short flap.turns'inwardly and .comes between the .outer layer I9, 2'5 .and-.theinner layer .36, 39.

vThis inner layerstarts at 51 and continues through side' layers`.36,39under flap `5S where-the E heat-sealinglayer '39 contactsit, .thencethrough e end inner -layer M37. T40, throughthe .otheirside layer '44,till, through the otherfinside` endlayer 38, 4l, past the end51 andintoailap 58 which overlies the first part ofllayer-36,f39.

`It also appears clear from Figs'. 12, .13 and VY15 thatmetal foil of.innerflapwa Yis turned inwardly, where it contacts .heat-sealingymaterial ofl theinner side Wall portion 36, 39,-Whileinner flap 56 hasits foil surfaceturned.outwardlyfwhere it contacts heat-sealing surfaceof .the outside sidelayei`- I 9,' 25.

'It follows from the above, and` whenthe bottom wall is heat-sealed,that the side..and end Walls and' bottom wall are heat-sealedtogethereverywhere with foil uponl all the insi'desofthe inside "walls, and with`foil everywhereupon all.

the 'outsides'of the outside walls upz-totheplane of the free topflap,upwardextensionsindicated Themeans ofiproducing, a ,.heat. sea1ingof .the bottom' wallfbythe .folding .arrangement which will nowr` bedescribed, can ,anddoeseasily and certainly-feiect .complete=heatfsealing- That same folding :arrangement makes rpossiblecompleteheatsealingofthe .top wall, even though therefcan .be-no.underlying.A support While the heatv-sealing*formV .is applied thereto.

Thisdolding arrangement .is ,particularly iwell shown in .Fig.'3andfalsofthemannerin which itfis-obtairred is gshownin Figs.=9,11,:141andy 18.

A sshowniin Fig..7,.before-any-folding has been done, .a-tube .orahollow member .rectangular in cross-section :has been iformed..heretofore pointed outand as shownini1ig.6, thisftube is madeup-ofganinner layer ofcombined foil .and heatfsealing .-material which extends.from vthe pointf51 aboutalliof the-inner wallsfof the container, withtheapr58,:indicated indottedilines.-

and underlbroken-.away portion, Fig. 7, asfending at` 9L 1 Thisarrangement :has theV foil layer .ex-

tending throughout the :inside of ytheA tube i, and hasflap 58.facing aheat-sealing .layer :'39 jwith foil throughout the lengthofthe; flap.

Similarly. :the .outside elayer f.extends from' the point 54 lall the-Way ,aro und fthe; outsideof the tube, to end inf the.f1ap56,` whichvhas its foil sur.- fa'ce-.underlying the =heatgsealing layer I251 atlthe beginning of the outside combinedfoil-and heatsealingmaterial.:This extends vtothe-point indicated atA 98,-at thepturnedbackgportionxof vFig. 7, andfshows the fiap56 ashavinglitsifoil.surfaceextending outwardly to fbe; engaged `by the heatsealing part ,25 of theportion of the outer layer which vo verliesthe foil :surface ofilapv 56.

Referring Vtoligs. 11, -12, il4f-and. 16, it will be noted -that vtheregis :a iap, 59,- .Which isA entirely free atits outeredges,and'whichisshown turned outwardlyI with the .heatfsealing I surface yupin Fig. 11. .This flap 59, isnshownr alsoin Fig. 3 where it is turnedoverttheuppenendof the container and completes;the;top wall`2| as ,shownin Figui` Referring .-toSFigfM the-'rstset of folds givestriangular'inner tabs lllandl.` Thesrsecond set 0ff-f01dS--- givesUtriangularfiouter f folds .'62 .and 163.

The f inner `folds 'B0 ,and :6 l gare.4 made up entirely of, .the innerextended flap, portions.V indicated in Fig. .12, `'which are free,=.rectangular .extensions ofthe -walls `of the` body of' the :containerdesignatedzas .6.4.2 6.5,:66 andai.

Theouter folds 6.2;;and 63 are madeuprentirely.

of -the extended outer end f flaps ."68 and'v 69. and the.interconnected;sideextension -10- as. shownin IFig. 12. The outer flap59, as clearlyshown'in Fig. .12,A doesnot enter .in 'tonanyl of .thetriangular Which.-.completef-sealingof.:the ends-1 of .the containerytakes place isjiwellwshown by :the: size-exaggeratedssectional;drawing`offFigs. f3 and 18.

Thus,inner layer-:44641 makes-a loopat'yH,

makesg-ar-'secondlrloop fat Y'lziand continues across the p -walltoafpointvadjacent the fend wan where-it endsfatfl.1Correspondingly.outenlayer I9 25--mal ves a-loop-atf'Myfasecondiloopatll and continues 1 across the j top :'wall fof thevcontainer .toitsending point :at J6; adjacent-the other. end

wallY-olf-thecontainer.

-The inside wall 3,6/f39:makes .aloopat '11 and a. second sharp.-vloopat 1 8% and r extends to.' its .ter-

minalhpoints'l. LItyivvillibenot'ed.that atthispoint .the en c 119.ofvtheginsidellayer-:BS-SS has its-fol1 9 surface 36 extending beyond fora considerable distance the end 13 of the inner layer 44-41, and thisoverlap makes possible effective and complete heat-sealingacross thatend.

Also the outer layer |8-24 loops at 19, loops again at 80, andterminates at There the metal foil i8 of said outside layer |824underlies for a considerable distance the heat-sealing portion of theoutside layer, terminating at 16, with the result that these overlappingportions of the outside layers are permanently heat-sealed together,thus insuring complete heat-sealing at the overlapping edges of the endoutside layers.

The top inside layer 31-40 loops at 82 and again loops on itself at 83and terminates at 84 near one end wall. Similarly at the other end wallthe layer 3'1-40 loops at 85, loops again at 89, and terminates at 81near the other end wall. In each of these folds the heat-sealing part 40folds back on itself and its yparts are heat-sealed together adjacentboth ends. The way it does this is shown in Fig. 3, and also Well shownin Fig. 18. There is thus, when the outer flap 59 is folded over tocover the tabs 60, 62 and 6|, 63, complete heat-sealing effected throughthis folding arrangement which produces the complete and finishedrectangular package of Figs. 1 and 19.

The folding at the bottom of the package is identical with the foldingat the top but that need. not be given in detail. The heat-sealing lofthe body, as heretofore noted, is very simply effected by using aheat-sealing former inside the container.

The manner of heat-sealing the top of the container with the necessaryomission of a forming heated block inside is indicated in Figs. 9, 16and 17. As shown in Fig. 8, a forming block made of parts 88 and 89 hasbeen placed about the tube, shown in Fig. 7, wherein the folds have beenmade for the bottom wall, and an inside forming block has been used toheat-seal the bottom, two sides and two end walls leaving the outsideflaps 59, 69 and i0 and the inside aps 65, 69, 6? and 99 extendingfreely above the heat-sealed top of the body indicated at 52 and 59.This is the condition of the container when it has been filled with itscontained product, and in the illustrations of Figs. 9, 16 and 17 it maybe assumed that this fillingY has taken place.

The inner small triangles 60 and 6|, Fig. 14, will be enclosed withinthe outer and larger triangles 92 and 93, with the free flap 59 thrownback, all as shown in Fig. 9, in which the forming block, made ofmembers 88 and 89, remains in place and block members 90, 9| at one sideand 92, 93 at the other side grip the extended triangle ends 62, 63 andpull the entire top assemblage out into substantially a horizontalplane, at which time a heat block 94 is applied to the portion of thetop end between the edges 95 and 99 of the body portion of thecontainer, Fig. 17.

This application of heat in this manner without the use of any supportunderneath it, because of the manner in which the triangular outwardlyextended naps are formed and are held during the heat-sealing operation,completely and effectively seals the container after being loaded withits contents.

Many of these loaded containers have been held for in excess of a yearin a heated, moisturesaturated atmosphere in comparison with sealed tincans, with the result that practically no moisture has been absorbed in.the COlllents of the package in that long period of time and under thatexcessive condition. The cans were found to have absorbed as much ormore moisture than my container here described.

In place of the layers of heat-sealing material adherent to the foillayer, the -arrangement may be as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In Fig. 4,which illustrates any of the side or end walls of the container, a foillayer 99 and another foil layer |00, each with a supporting layer oftissue I 0| and |02, are positioned on opposite sides of awax-impregnated heat-sealing layer |03 and may be heat-sealed togetherexactly as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the form shown in Fig. 5, the foil layers 99 and |09 and thesupporting tissue |0| and |02 are the same as in Fig. 4, but in thisform two layers |04 and |05 are used in place of the single layer |03 asin Fig. 4. In any of these variations the result is the same, in thatheatsealing effects complete moisture-impervious end,

is a sealed metal can. A highly important part of this advantage, of mycontainer as a whole, comes from the fact that, in its use, not 'only isit effective to a high degree in keeping out moisture from outside thecontainer from dry con- -tents in the container, but it is equallyeffective,

where moist or Wet goods, as soaked prunes for example, are enclosed inthe container, in retaining the moisture of the contents within thecontainer, which, in this use also, is of a flexible rectangularcontainer having the moisture-protective advantages of sealed tin cans.And the all-metal foil lining of the package will retain syrupy, oily orgreasy substances and the like ,entirely without deterioration of thecontainer Walls or unfavorable reaction on the product as effectively aswill sealed tin cans.

I claim:

l. A container which is open at one end. embodying four lateral sidesand an end closure -consisting of prolongations ofv each of the sidesopposite the open end. comprising a first sheet of material forming theinner surfaces of the container, a second sheet of material forming theouter surfaces of the container, sai-d sheets overlapping on one oftheir dimensions to extend about and reinforce two corners of thelateral sides, the single end closure consisting of a multiplicity offolded alternately overlapping layers Vof the first and second sheets,the end closure prolongations of the sheets being continuousv at thecorners of the container except at two adiacent corners of the secondsheet of material whereby a flap is formed from one side of the outerlayer which constitutes the final overlap,

and a layer of heat sealing material between contacting surfaces of thesides and between each contacting surface of the portions of the twosheets that form the single closure at one end of the container, saidmaterial forming a continuous bond that increases the rigidity of thecontainer and renders all opposite contacting surfaces of the sheetsforming the sides and single end closure to `a practical extentair-tight and moisture-proof.

2. A container embodying four lateral sides and oppositely disposed endclosures which are prolongations of each of the sides, comprising afirst sheet of materialforming' the vinner sur'- faces` of thecontainer, a secondVA sheet off material forming the-outer surfacesofthe container, said sheets overlapping on' one of their dimensions toextend about andv reinforce two corner-s of-u the lateral sides, theendclosures consisting ofa multiplicity of folded alternately'Aoverlapping layers of the first and second-v` sheets, the end closureprolongations of the sheets being continuous at the corners ofthecontainer except at two adjacent corners of the second sheet of materialwhereby a flap is'formed from'one side of the outer layer whichlconstitutes theV final' overlap, and a layer of heat sealing materialbetween all contacting surfaces of the lateral sidesandalso between eachcontacting surface' of the portions of the two sheets that form the endclosures, said material forming a' continuous bond that increases therigidity of theoontainer and' renders all opposite contacting surfacesof the sheets forming the sides and' end closuresto a practical extentair-tight and moistnre'-proof.` l i 3. A container embodying fourlateral sides and oppositely disposed end closures' which areprolongations of each ofv` the sides, comprising a rst sheet of metalfoil formingv the inner surfaces of the container, a second sheet' ofmetal foil forming the outer surfaces of the container, said sheetsoverlapping onone of theirldirnensions to extend about andv reinforcetwo corners of the lateral sides, the-'end closures consisting ofalmultiplicity of folded alternately overlapping layers ofthe first andsecond sheets, the end closure prolongations of the sheetsl beingcontinuous at the corners' of the container 'Vexcept at twov adjacentcorners ofthe second sheet of' material whereby' a' flap isl formed fromone side ofthe outer layer which-*constitutes the finalY overlap, and alayer' ofv heat sealing material between all contacting surfaces of thelateral sides and also `between each contacting s urface of the portionsVofthe ltwosheets that form the end closures, saidv material" forming acontinuous bond'= that incre'a'seskthe rigidity of the container andVrenders all opposite Acontacting surfaces of the sheets formingthesidesand end closures to a practicaly extent air-tight andmoisture-proof. l

4'. A container embodying four lateral sides and oppositely disposedendclosures which are prolongations of each of thesides, comprising a firstsheet of material Aforming the inner surfaces of the container, avsecond sheet of material forming the outer surfaces of the container,said sheets overlapping on one'of their dimensions to extend about andreinforce two corners of the lateral sides, the 'end closure consistingof folded' alternately overlapping layers of the first and second sheetsforming two opposite sides of the container and' two pair of inwardlyfolded triangular tabs forming the other two opposite sides of thecontainen'the end closure prolongations of the sheets being continuousat tliec'orn'e'rs ofthe container except at two adjacent corners' ofi4the'` second sheet'of material whereby a'vilap'isform'ed from one' sideof the outer layer which constitutes avnal overlap, and a layerof"heatsea'ling'material between al1 contactin'g surfaces of the lateralsides and also between e'ach contacting surface of the portions of thevtwo sheets that form' the end closures, said materialforming acontinuous bond that increases thev rigidity ofthe container and rendersall'opposite-contacting'surfacesV of the two sheets forming the sidesand' end closures to a practical extentv air-tight.- and moisture-proof.

5. A container' embodying four lateral. sides an'd oppo'sitelydis'posedend'` closures which are prolongations of each ofthe sides, comprisingai first sheet of material' forming the inner surfaces* of thecontainer, a second sheet of materia'llformingthe outer surfacesof thecontainer, said' sheets overlapping on' one ofA their dimensi'onstoextend about and. reinforce two corners of theateral sides,1 the end.'closure consisting of folded alternately overlapping layers of the firstandi second sheets forming two opposite sidesfof ythefc'ontainer andtwo" pair of inwardly folded triangular tabs forming the other twoopposite sidesofi the container, the end closure prolongations of thesheets being contin- ,nousA at the-cornersof the` container except attwo adjacent cornersof the second' sheet of materialzwhereby. a flap isformed from one side of the outer layer which constitutes a finaloverlap; and'v two layersV of heat sealing material between allcontacting surfaces of the lateral sides and alsobetween eachcontactingA surface that exists between portions of the two sheets thatform the end closures,- said material forming a continuous bond thatincreases the rigidity of the container and renders all contactingsurfaces between'` the-.twoy sheets forming the sides and end closures'to a practical extent air-tight and moistureL-proof.-

NEALA I. PAULSEN.

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